Automatic bottom hexagonal carton



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r I AUTOMATIC BOTTOM HEXAGONAL CARTON Filed Dec. 27, 1960 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 United States Patent ware Filed Dec. 27, 1960, Ser. No. 78,373 2 Claims. (til. 229-41) This invention is in the field of packaging. It relates specifically to a new and improved hexagonal carton having an automatic bottom. A primary object of the invention is to provide a hexagonal carton which is glued and assembled before shipment to a customer.

Another object is to provide a hexagonal carton having an improved glued construction.

Still another object is to provide a hexagonal carton which is glued and assembled by the manufacturer and shipped in a flattened or collapsed form.

Yet another object is to provide a hexagonal carton which is glued, assembled and collapsed in a single manufacturing operation.

Another object is to provide a hexagonal carton which may be opened from collapsed to opened operational form in a single, simple operation.

Yet another object is to provide a hexagonal carton having a pre-glued, automatically unfolding bottom.

Another object is to provide a hexagonal carton which will not collapse inadvertently after it is opened.

Still another object is to provide a carton having a multiply bottom suitable for supporting substantially heavy loads within the carton.

Yet another object is to provide a pre-glued and collapsible hexagonal carton having an automatically positioned full dust cover.

Another object is to provide a hexagonal carton having a new and improved lock top to prevent inadvertent opening and pilferage.

These and other objects of this invention will appear from time to time in the following specification and claims.

The invention is illustrated more or less diagrammatically in the following drawings wherein like parts are identified by like reference numerals throughout:

FIGURE 1 shows a blank from which this carton is made,

FIGURE 2 shows the blank of FIGURE 1 after the first step in the carton assembly operation,

FIGURE 3 shows the carton blank of FIGURE 2 after the second step of the carton assembly operation,

FIGURE 4 shows the third step in the assembly operation as seen from the (bottom of the carton,

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 4 showing the third step in the operation in a further advanced stage,

FIGURE 6 is a bottom view illustrating opening the carton to its operative relationship from a flattened, preassembled state,

FIGURE 7 is a side view showing the carton in a partially pre-assembled form,

carton bottom taken substantially along line 12-1-2 of FIGURE 11, and

FIGURE 13 is a perspective view of the assembled and opened carton prior to closing the top closure.

FIGURE 1 illustrates a blank 2 from which this car- 3,l6l,l7 Patented Aug. 20, 19fi3 ton is assembled. The carton blank is ordinarily made of containerboard but it could be any flexible material conventionally used in containers of this type. Blank 2 appears in FIGURE 1 as it would after being punched or cut from stock by a conventional machine designed to cut out or score blanks of this type. The blank at this stage adapts itself readily to the printing or otherwise marking of indicia on its sides.

The blank 2 includes a generally elongated sidewallforming section 3. Section 3 is transversely scored at 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 to form individual side panels 10, 11, 12, 13, :14 and 15 and a gluefiap '16. The glue fiap 16 is beveled as at'17 for reasons which will be hereinafter explained. A

' the finished carton extend from individual panels along one edge of the sidewall-forming section 3 and are indicated collectively at v2t} in FIGURE 1. These bottomforming flaps include an outer bottom flap 21 extending from panel 15 of section 3' and flexibly connected thereto along scored line 22 in the form of serrations. Outer bottom flap 21 includes two sections 23 and 24 flexibly connected together along scored line 25 in the form of serrations. V-shaped notches 26 and 27 are formed in adjoining sections 23 and 24 at opposite ends of scored line 25. As will be seen, outer bottom flap 21 is of a substantially irregular shape, the significance of which will be explained in the use and operation of the invention.

A larger flap 30 forms a dust flap for the carton bottom. It extends from panel 12 of main section 3 and is flexibly connected thereto along scored line 31. A friction looking tab 32 is formed on one side of dust flap 30 and flexibly connected to the flap along scored line 33. It will be seen that bottom dust flap 30 extends from panel 12. Panel 12 is separated by panels 13 and '14 from panel .15, from which outer bottom flap 21 extends. As will also readily be seen, this relationship is designed to place outer bottom flap 21 and dust flap 36 in oppositely disposed relationship when scored main section 3 is folded to form a hexagonal enclosure.

Included in the series of bottom-forming flaps 20 is a first set of partial flaps 34 and 35 extending from panels 10 and 11, respectively. Flap 34 is flexibly connected to panel 10 along scored line 36. As will be seen in FIGURE 1, partial flap 34 is triangular in shape and includes angles of approximately 30 degrees and 60' degrees.

The angles at which the edges of. the partial flap extend from panel 10 are dictated bythe relative size of the six panels in the assembled hexagonal carton. For cartons having side panels of a particular size, these angles might also vary within limits, as a matter of choice. This will readily be seen in the discussion of use and operation of this invention.

Partial flap 35 extends from panel 11 and is flexibly connected thereto along scored line 37. The flap is substantially irregularly shaped, as will be seen in FIG- URE 1. Flap 35 includes two sections, 38 and 39, flexibly connected along scored line 40 in the form of serrations. Section 39 is triangular in shape and, in the case of the carton blank shown, approximates an isosceles .tria-ngle.

flexibly connected to panel 14- along scored line 46. Flap td includes sections 47 and 48 flexibly connected together along scored line 49 in the form of serrations. Section 43 is generally triangular in shape, similar to section 39 of flap 35. This configuration varies within limits to suit carton size, etc.

It will be seen that scoring in the form of serrated line 22 and other conventionally scored lines 46, 45, 31, 3 7 and 36 establish what might be referred to as a lower edge on the sidewall section 3 of the carton and are coextensive along that edge.

A second series of flaps which cooperate to form the top closure of the finished carton extend from individual panels along the opposite edge of the sidewall section 3 and are indicated collectively at 53 in FIGURE 1. These top-forming flaps include a partial dust flap d extending from panel and flexibly connected thereto along scored line 55. Partial dust flap 54 is substantially identical in configuration to full bottom dust flap with two notable exceptions. Flattened edge sections 56 and 57 are provided on opposite sides of the dust flap 54 and lock receiving notches 58 and 59 extend inwardly from the flattened portions toward the scored line 55 adjacent which they terminate. As will later be seen, these notches from lock tab receiving receptacles for the top.

A tuck top flap 66, included in the series of top-forming flaps 53, extends from panel 12 to which it is flexibly connected along scored line 61. Tuck top flap 60 is hexagonally shaped and sized to correspond to the cross-sectional shape and size of the opened carton itself. In this respect, it is similar to bottom dust flap 3t).

Locking tabs 65 and 66 extend from complementarily disposed sides of tuck top flap 60, as will be seen in FIGURE 1, and are flexibly connected to flap 60 along scored lines 67 and 68, respectively. In addition, cuts 69 and 70 extend inwardly from the outer ends of scored line 67 a short predetermined distance and are curved at their inner extremities, as at 71 and 72. The significance of these curved cuts will be subsequently explained. Suflice it to say for the present that they form a part of a top locking device. Similar cuts 75 and 76 and curved inner extremities 77 and 78 are found along the scored line 6% connecting locking tab as to the tuck top flap 68.

Two wing flaps 8t} and 31 extend from panels 11 and 13, respectively, and are flexibly connected thereto along scored lines 82 and 83, respectively. The wing fliaps 80 and 81 straddle tuck top flap 60, which, similar to the relationship between outer bottom flap 21 and dust flap 30, is separated by panels 13 and 14 from partial dust flap 54.

The operation by which a hexagonal carton might be formed from the blank illustrated in FIGURE 1 is shown graphically in a series of steps portrayed in FIGURES 25. It will be understood, :however, that the steps described are merely those found to be most successful by the inventor and it is assumed that numerous variations in assembly methods might be utilized to achieve the same results.

In the first step of the carton assembling operation, after the blank has been cut and scored by serrating or otherwise, the series 20 of bottom-forming flaps are all folded over along their coextensive scored :lines 22, 46, 45,31, 37 and 36 to lie substantially flat over the main sidewall section 3'. In the next step, section 38 of partial flap is folded over along serrated line section 47 of partial flap 44 is folded over along serrated line 49 and section 23 of outer bottom flap 21 is folded over along serrated line 25, into the position shown in FIGURE 3. At the same time, glue is applied by conventional means, which might be a rubber stamp applicator, for example, precisely in the locations shown in FIGURE 3. Thus, it will be seen that a predetermined amount or patch of glue is applied to the inside of panel 10 at 86. The glue patch at 86 extends substantially the length of the panel fit and is positioned to contact and stick to glue flap 16 when the carton is assembled.

A predetermined amount of glue is also placed in generally triangular patches at 87 and 88 on the bottoms of the triangular partial flaps 34 and 43, respectively. As will later be shown, this glue is positioned to contact and stick to the folded sections 38 and 47 of partial flaps 35 and 44, respectively.

A final patch of glue of predetermined size is deposited at 89 on the outside of dust flap 3t). As will be seen, the patch of glue 89 is triangular in shape and positioned substantially immediately adjacent scored line connecting the dust flap to panel 12. It lies wholly within one-half of the dust flap.

The third step in the carton manufacturers assembling operation is illustrated generally in FIGURES 4 and 5. The sidewall-forming section 3 is folded over by mechanical means or otherwise along scored line 7 between panels 13 and 14 and forced downwardly until it lies flat over panels 12 and 13. This is best seen in FIGURE 7 of the drawings. As the folded panels 14 are pressed downwardly, it will be seen that section 47 of partial flap 44 will engage the glued patch 88 on partial flap 4'3 and will be cemented thereto. At the same time, the outer bottom flap 21, which has been bent along serrated line 25, contacts and is cemented fast to the bottom of the dust flap 30 by virtue of its engagement with glue patch 39 previously deposited thereon.

After this. last folding step in the assembly operation or coordinated therewith, panel It) is folded along scored line 4 to assume the position shown in FIGURE 8, and at this time it will be apparent that glue patch 86 on panel 10 will contact and stick to the outer side of glue flap 16 while glue patch 37 on partial flap 34 simultaneously contacts and sticks to bent-over section 38 of partial flap 35, resulting in the gluing of these corresponding parts of the canton together. In practice, panel 10 is ordinarily folded simultaneously with the folding of panels 14 and 15. In such case it will be obvious that panel It} lags panels 14 and 15 slightly to insure proper overlapping relationship.

The carton is now assembled with its permanently glued construction fully completed and is ready for shipment in its collapsed or flattened form to a manufacturer of ice cream cakes, bottled beverages, or the like, for use as a container in marketing these articles.

It has previously been explained that a carton embodying this invention, in its glued, assembled and collapsed or flattened form will appear as it does in FIGURE 8 of the drawings. It will be seen that the partial dust flap 54 and the tuck top flap 60, both forming parts of the top of the carton, lie flat in overlapping relationship with the wing flaps and 8-1 extending adjacent thereto in'substantially the same plane.

FIGURE 7 illustrates the positioning of full dust flap 3t} and its associated bottom forming elements including outer bottom flap 2-1 and partial flaps 43 and 44 when the carton is in its flat assembled form. It will be understood, of course, that partial flaps 34 and'35 Will also be glued together and overlapping when the carton is in its completely pro-assembled state, as is shown in FIG- URE 8. V

To open the hexagonal carton completely and cause it to assume its operative or open form, best illustrated'in a top view in FIGURE 11 and in perspective in FIGURE 13, one need merely apply pressure to the edges of the flattened assembled carton, in this case along scored lines 4- and 7 as illustrated graphically by the force lines F in FIGURE 6. The carton will open to the fully opened state shown in FIGURES 9-11 while the elements or flaps 26 forming the bottom cooperate to snap into place and form a multi-ply bottom having a full dust flap substantially locked in place preventing the carton from inadvertently collapsing thereafter beforemerchandise is inserted in the carton.

The full dust flap 30 is drawn down into the position seen best in FIGURES -12 by virtue of its relationship with the outer bottom flap 2.1. Section 23 of the outer bottom flap 21 is glued to the half of dust flap 30 adjacent scored line-31. It will be readily seen, then, that as the outer bottom flap 21 flexes along serrated line 25 and facilitated by the angular relationship of partial flaps 34,

35, 43, 44 and that of generally irregularly shaped outer bottom flap 21. The width of the outer bottom flap can vary within limits but it must not be so wide as to contact the glued partial flaps prematurely and prevent or inhibit their flexing and consequently the carton opening. Notches 26 and 27 at the outer extremities of serrated line 25' in outer bottom flap 2 1 permit the edges of the outer bottom flap to contract, bend and ride up the outer surface of partial flaps 35 and 44 without catching along serrated lines 40 and 49, respectively. In fully opened form, the relationship of the glued partial flap, full dust flap 30 and outer bottom flap '21 is shown in FIGURES 9 and 10 (flap 2.1 partially broken away).

When the carton has reached its fully opened or operational form, as shown in FIGURES 9-13, it will be seen that tab 32 has flexed along scored line 33 on bottom dust flap 30 and nestled under bevelled edge 17 on glue flap 60 to lock the carton in open relationship.

To close and lock the top closure on the opened carton, wing flaps 80 and 81 are first folded downwardly along scored lines 82' and 83 and then pantial dust flap 54 folded into overlapping relationship with them. Notches 58 and 59 then remain for locking flaps 65 and 66 to be inserted into as tuck top flap 60 is bent downwardly to complete the top closure. As lock flaps 65 and 66 fully enter notches 58 and 59, the cuts 70 and 76 at corresponding ends of scored lines 67 and 68, respectively, receive the inner ends of notches 59 and 58. At the same time, the cuts 69 and 75 at the opposite corresponding ends of the scored lines 67 and 68 receive the edges of wing flaps 80- and 81. The curved portions 71, 72, 77 and 78 of corresponding cuts facilitate considerable overlapping between the lock flap, wing flaps and the inner ends of notches 58 and 59. The result is a four-point locking construction which secures and prevents inadvertent opening or easy access to the enclosure by pilferers, for example.

In essence, then, the hexagonal carton is preassembled.

in flattened form by a folding, gluing and folding operation and ordinarily shipped to the product manufacturer in this form. If, for example, the product manufacturer intended to market cakes or ice cream cake rolls in this new hexagonal carton, the carton in its flattened form might be removed from a supply stack and snapped into open condition under one arm of the food packer while a cake roll was inserted in the opened end almost simultaneously. The top of the carton could then easily be closed and in a time saving an esconomical operation the packing operation would be completed. Of course, it will be understood that any of a number of products might be marketed in cartons embodying this invention. Food products such as ice cream cake rolls are often marketed in this type container as are various bottled beverages.

The advantages inherent in this new rexagonal carton construction are many and varied. Of primary importance, of course, is the fact that the carton is substantially of a glued construction, yet it can be preglued and preassembled in a manufacturing plant and shipped in collapsed or flat for-m to its destination. The actual pregluing and assembly in flat form is accomplished in a simple three-step operation and the carton need not be altered in form prior to packing for shipment to the product manufacturer.

A completely automatic bottom is provided which snaps into place upon opening of the carton by simple pressure from the sides and forms a multi ply support for any product carried within the carton enclosure. Full dust flap 30 associated with the bottom is drawn down into frictional engagement with the .walls of the carton and prevents inadvertent collapsingof the container prior to insertion of the manufacturers product. A tab 32 flexibly secured to the bottom dust flap 30' is utilized to underlie the the bevelled edge of a glue flap to further insure such a locking arrangement.

After the top is closed in the manner hereinbe-fore described, a multi-poi-nt locking effect is assured by lock tabs 65 and 66, and their associated cuts 69, 70 and 75, 76, respectively. The slight curvatures 71, 72 and 77, 78 further tend to prevent the top from being slipped open inadvertently or too easily to pilfer the canton.

What has been shown is a new and improved hexagonal carton construction. It will be obvious, however, that a departure might be had from the exact shape and disposition of many of the parts of this invention with out departing from its theme. Consequently, it is intended that the foregoing description be illustrative only and not definitive and that the invention be limited only by the appended claims.

I claim:

-1. An automatic bottom hexagonal carton completely erectable quickly and solely by a single application of oppositely directed compressive forces on the fold edges of said carton when in a collapsed condition, said carton, in its collapsed condition, including six side panels joined one to the other along crease lines between adjacent panels and means for securing the two most remote panels to one another, a bottom flap flexibly secured to the bottom edge of a first side panel,

said bottom flap being creased at its mid-portion whereby it may be folded back upon itself,

said bottom flap having a width at its mid-portion larger than the length of the flexible connection between said bottom flap and itsassociated side panel, the edges of said bottom flap thereby diverging from the bottom edge of said first side panel to the crease at its mid-portion, and then coverging from the crease at its mid-portion to the free edge,

a pair of notches at the ends of the crease in the m-idportion 'of said bottom flap,

a bottom dust flap flexibly secured to the bottom edge of another side panel,

the side panels to which the bottom flap and bottom dust flap are secured, and consequently said flaps,

overlying one another in 'a collapsed condition,

said bottom dust flap lying against that portion of the folded bottom flap between the crease and its free end when in a collapsed condition.

said bottom dust flap overlying substantially the entire bottom area to thereby provide a double layer bottom,

said bottom dust flap further including a locking tab projecting outward from a side of the bottom dust flap along a crease line which is coextensive with said bottom dust flap side,

the means for securing the two most remote end panels to one another being a glue flap extending along the exposed edge of one of said end panels,

said locking tab lying in the plane of the bottom dust flap in a collapsed condition but perpendicular thereto in an erected condition,

said locking tab underlying the glue flap in an erected condition,

erectable quickly and solely by a single application of oppositely directed compressive forces on the fold edges of said carton when in a collapsed condition, said carton, in its collapsed condition, including a six side panels joined one to the other along crease lines between adjacent panels and means for securing the two remote panels to one another,

a bottom flap flexibly secured to the bottom edge of a first side panel,

said bottom flap being creased at its midportion whereby it may be folded back upon itself,

said bottom flap having a width at its midportion larger than the length of the flexible connection between said bottom flap and its associated side panel, the edges of said bottom flap thereby diverging from the bottom edge of said first side panel to the crease at its mid-portion and then converging from the crease at its mid-portion to its free edge,

a pair of notches at the ends of the crease in the midportion of said bottom flap,

a bottom dust flap flexibly secured to the bottom edge of another side panel,

the side panels to which the bottom flap and bottom dust flap are secured, and consequently said flaps, overlying one another in a collapsed condition,

said bottom dust flap lying against that portion of the folded bottom flap between the crease and its free end when in a collapsed condition,-

pairs of partial bottom flaps flanking the bottom flap, the edge of each partial flap which flanks the bottom flap forming with the adjacent edge of the bottom flap, an opening diverging outwardly from the flexible connection of the partial flaps to their associated side panels,

and means for securing the bottom flap and bottom dust flap to one another'in'the overlapping area between said flaps whereby the bottom flap, as it unfolds during the application of opening forces to the collapsed container, pulls the bottom dust flap into position.

References Git-ed in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,405,564- Evans Aug. 13, 1946 2,677,494- Buttery May 4, 1954 2,741,416 Hileman Apr. 10, 1956 2,858,968 Pellaton Nov. 4, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 644,725 Great Britain Oct. 18, 1950 

1. AN AUTOMATIC BOTTOM HEXAGONAL CARTON COMPLETELY ERECTABLE QUICKLY AND SOLELY BY A SINGLE APPLICATION OF OPPOSITELY DIRECTED COMPRESSIVE FORCES ON THE FOLD EDGES OF SAID CARTON WHEN IN A COLLAPSED CONDITION, SAID CARTON, IN ITS COLLAPSED CONDITION, INCLUDING SIX SIDE PANELS JOINED ONE TO THE OTHER ALONG CREASE LINES BETWEEN ADJACENT PANELS AND MEANS FOR SECURING THE TWO MOST REMOTE PANELS TO ONE ANOTHER, A BOTTOM FLAP FLEXIBLY SECURED TO THE BOTTOM EDGE OF A FIRST SIDE PANEL, SAID BOTTOM FLAP BEING CREASED AT ITS MID-PORTION WHEREBY IT MAY BE FOLDED BACK UPON ITSELF, SAID BOTTOM FLAP HAVING A WIDTH AT ITS MID-PORTION LARGER THAN THE LENGTH OF THE FLEXIBLE CONNECTION BETWEEN SAID BOTTOM FLAP AND ITS ASSOCIATED SIDE PANEL, THE EDGES OF SAID BOTTOM FLAP THEREBY DIVERGING FROM THE BOTTOM EDGE OF SAID FIRST SIDE PANEL TO THE CREASE AT ITS MID-PORTION, AND THEN COVERGING FROM THE CREASE AT ITS MID-PORTION TO THE FREE EDGE A PAIR OF NOTCHES AT THE ENDS OF THE CREASE IN THE MID-PORTION OF SAID BOTTOM FLAP, A BOTTOM DUST FLAP FLEXIBLY SECURED TO THE BOTTOM EDGE OF ANOTHER SIDE PANEL, THE SIDE PANELS TO WHICH THE BOTTOM FLAP AND BOTTOM DUST FLAP ARE SECURED, AND CONSEQUENTLY SAID FLAPS, OVERLYING ONE ANOTHER IN A COLLAPSED CONDITION, SAID BOTTOM DUST FLAP LYING AGAINST THAT PORTION OF THE FOLDED BOTTOM FLAP BETWEEN THE CREASE AND ITS FREE END WHEN IN A COLLAPSED CONDITION. SAID BOTTOM DUST FLAP OVERLYING SUBSTANTIALLY THE ENTIRE BOTTOM AREA TO THEREBY PROVIDE A DOUBLE LAYER BOTTOM, SAID BOTTOM DUST FLAP FURTHER INCLUDING A LOCKING TAB PROJECTING OUTWARD FROM A SIDE OF THE BOTTOM DUST FLAP ALONG A CREASE LINE WHICH IS COEXTENSIVE WITH SAID BOTTOM DUST FLAP SIDE, THE MEANS FOR SECURING THE TWO MOST REMOTE END PANELS TO ONE ANOTHER BEING A GLUE FLAP EXTENDING ALONG THE EXPOSED EDGE OF ONE OF SAID END PANELS SAID LOCKING TAB LYING IN THE PLANE OF THE BOTTOM DUST FLAP IN A COLLAPSED CONDITION BUT PERPENDICULAR THERETO IN AN ERECTED CONDITION, SAID LOCKING TAB UNDERLYING THE GLUE FLAP IN AN ERECTED CONDITION, AND MEANS FOR SECURING THE BOTTOM FLAP AND BOTTOM DUST FLAP TO ONE ANOTHER IN THE OVERLAPPING AREA BETWEEN SAID FLAPS WHEREBY THE BOTTOM FLAP, AS IT UNFOLDS DURING THE APPLICATION OF OPENING FORCES TO THE COLLAPSED CONTAINER, PULLS THE BOTTOM DUST FLAP INTO POSITION. 